My son will be returning to public school this fall after being home schooled this past year. We had an absolutely awful kindergarten year and he was evaluated for spectrum disorders and ADHD with no signs of either but did find he's highly gifted. We keep him home this year while we sorted things out. He just got his OT evaluation and was diagnosed with SPD. He'll be entering second grade at the same school he attended kindergarten.

I could use some help navigating getting him a 504 plan and dealing with the school. Any advice or information you could point me towards would be very helpful. I'll be going down this week to get the paperwork to re-enroll him but it doesn't need to be turned in for a few more weeks.

Under the IDEA/IEP, if your child has a disability that adversely affects educational performance, your child is entitled to an education that is designed to meet the child's unique needs and from which your child receives educational benefit.

A 504 is helping your child get the same education that everyone else is getting--more for a student that needs accommodations to help them learn (like sitting next to the teacher) or for behavior, and that they are not punished for things that they cannot control due to the ADHD (like needing to work standing up or not sit inside a group).

Emmeline's post on IEP vs. 504 is very good. An IEP is alterations to the curriculum because your child has a disability that makes it impossible for them to achieve the required benchmarks in the curriculum. A 504 plan is accommodations to the learning environment to allow your child to participate in the same curriculum as everyone else.

My son was diagnosed with SPD and visual-motor integration issues by the school OT during 2nd grade, when his sensory issues (that he had all along) rose to the level where they began to interfere with the educational process.

His 504 plan included weekly OT sessions for his handwriting and visual integration issues, weekly OT with techniques to help his proprioceptive issues and need for sensory input.

Other things on it were that the teacher would allow him to do his work standing next to his desk, or kneeling on his chair with one knee while standing on the other leg. She also gave him regular "heavy work" around the classroom and actually re-instituted some exercises she used to do but had stopped, where between lessons they'd all stand up and do certain head and arm movements. She also worked out a signal with him so that when he was doing something distracting to the other kids, like jiggling his knees so the table shook, she'd signal him to make him aware of it (he was often unaware he was doing stuff with his feet and legs like that) so he could stop himself without her calling him out and making a big deal about it in front of his peers, which meant a lot to him.

My 10yo has a 504 for SPD. Her 504 includes the things already mentioned (allowing freedom of position, cues, heavy work) and also includes her using a bumpy seat cushion (for proprio). Because one of my dd's biggest issues is auditory defensiveness, her OT recommended having "auditory overload passes" put in. Basically, if she is getting overstimulated and/or anxious from auditory stuff, she can move to a quieter area, get a hall pass to go to the library, or go to the nurses' office. This was especially important for her for gym, when it can get six ways from hellish for her. It doesn't have to necessarily be the volume -- for her, too many kinds of sounds are overwhelming too. She actually does really well in her music class, because the sounds are kinda "organized".

When we wrote the 504 with her teacher and the principal, it was actually the principal's idea to put in a line about allowing earlier dismissal from a class if she needs to go to a locker (so she wouldn't be overwhelmed with swirling, noisy crowds in the hallways). It wasn't applicable for her this past year, but will be when she is in 6th grade.

Kelly, blessed to be with Stephen, and mama to three little ladies with huge hearts:, lotsa energy:, and curious minds.